During a meeting of defense leaders in Laos, China’s defense minister declined a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which Austin described as unfortunate. Multilateral gatherings in Asia have previously been used for meetings between U.S. and Chinese defense leaders, but China declined a meeting request at this week’s Southeast Asian Nations-Plus defense ministers meeting. Austin expressed disappointment, noting the importance of communication between the two significant regional powers. He did not see any long-term implications in China’s decision, but emphasized the missed opportunity for dialogue. Austin had previously met with China’s defense minister earlier in the year, where they discussed their differences on Taiwan and other issues. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently expressed a willingness to work with the incoming U.S. administration, emphasizing cooperation on various issues including cybercrime, trade, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Russia.
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